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Vito Genovese
| Row 3 title = Birthplace | Row 3 info = Tufino, Naples, Italy | Row 4 title = Died | Row 4 info = | Row 5 title = Deathplace | Row 5 info = Springfield, Missouri, U.S. | Row 6 title = Occupation | Row 6 info = Mafia boss, Bootlegger, Businessman, Mobster, Racketeer | Row 7 title = Known for | Row 7 info = Boss/founder of the Genovese crime family }} Vito "Don Vito" Genovese (November 27, 1897 – February 14, 1969) was an Italian Gangster in America and is known as The Boss of Genovese crime family through 1957 to 1969. Vito is also credited of killing Willie Moretti and organized Frank Costello's failed assassination by Vincent Gigante. Vito also ordered Frank Scalise's death who was an Underboss of Albert Anastasia and ally to Frank Costello. He is also loosely based on Emilio Barzini in The Godfather. Early Criminal Career Genovese moved to New York as a young man along with his family. He later went to work for Joe Masseria along with Charles Luciano and Frank Costello as an Enforcer. Genovese had his first "Front" in Manhattan as a 'down and out' for Alcohol in 1922 which was near a New York police station. Castellammarese War Lucky Luciano said that the War had been going long enough and needed to stop. Luciano convinced Genovese that Joe Masseria had to die, and he was later killed on April 15, 1931 in a Coney Island restaurant by Genovese, Carlo Gambino, Bugsy Siegel and Joe Adonis, Masseria was only 45. Salvatore Maranzano was later stabbed and shot in his Office on September 10, 1931 aged 45. The Commission Genovese was called to a Meeting, Lucky Luciano got rid of "Boss of Bosses" and formed The Commission which was designed to settle all disputes and decide which families controlled which territories. Genovese was appointed Underboss of The Luciano Family Family Trouble In the 1950s, Vito Genoveses' Godson Ralph Caglioti owed money to New York loansharks, The loansharks burnt his hand and beat him up in the streets. Caglioti tried to hide this away from Vito because he knew what he was capable of. Genovese later found out and found The Loansharks. Infront of his Godson, Ralph Caglioti, Genovese smacked The Loansharks knee caps and broke them with a baseball bat. Apalachin Meeting Vito Genovese scheduled a meeting with nearly every single Cosa Nostra boss and high ranking member at Joe Barbaro's house in the countryside. Many conspiracies of the Apalachin meeting have been said. One conspiracy is Vito Genovese wanted to murder Carlo Gambino, as he was jealous of Gambino's great power and wealth, and wanted to take over the whole show. Many said Vito Genovese wanted to speak about dividing the whole country up for the American Cosa Nostra, but neither have been confirmed. A local police officer reacted and suspected something was going on at Joe Barabro's house as many luxury cars were driving upto his farm house. The police officer called for back-up and all of the bosses fled out of the house. Vito Genovese managed to succesfully escape from the Apalachin meeting. Arrests In 1934, Genovese was suspected of killing an addicted Brooklyn gambler named Ferdinand Boccia. Don Vito was invited to court in New York over the Boccia murder but instead fled to Sicily, Italy. In 1947, Genovese was found by local Italian police and was deported back to New York to face the murder charges in federal court. Only one witness stood in his way and was shortly found dead in his jail cell over an "accidental drug overdose". The charges were dropped on Don Vito and he remained free. At the age of 62, in 1959, Vito Genovese was eventually caught red-handed and was ratted out by a former associate and drug dealer, Nelson Cantellops, who lived in The Bronx. He was convicted of drug involvement and was sentenced to do 15-years in Atlanta's federal prison. The RAT After Vito Genovese was convicted of drug involvement, the Vito Genovese era was coming to an end. In prison, Genovese was becoming paranoid and suspected one of his many crime family soldiers' of being a rat. In jail, he called Joe Valachi, better known as "Joe Cargo", to his prison cell for a meeting. Genovese didn't believe Valachi and kissed him on both cheeks, giving him the "Kiss of Death", meaning that Joe Valachi was a dead man. Joe Valachi also became paranoid in prison, always looking behind his back for an attempt on his life. In the prison courtyard, he murdered another inmate with a piece of wood, thinking he was sent by Vito Genovese. Joe Valachi was now facing life imprisonment for murder. In 1963, he agreed to testify against Don Vito amongst other high-profiled Cosa Nostra bosses and members, giving the world a look into the Mafia's activites and ranks, broadcasting on the television. Don Vito Genovese was called upon in court to testify in the McClellan Hearings but refused to answer any questions, staying loyal to his Mafia oath. Death Don Vito Genovese passed away of natural causes (a heart attack) in his prison cell. People Murdered by Vito Genovese Order: No.Name/Rank/Affiliation/When/Involvement/Reason 1.Gaetano Reina/Boss/Lucchese crime family/February 26th 1930/Personal/ Genovese murdered Reina with a shotgun as part of the Castellamarese war. 2.Alfred Mineo/Boss/Gambino crime family/November 5th 1930/Personal/ Genovese saw the opportunity to murder his powerful enemies while they were caught offguard. 3.Steve Ferrigno/Underboss/Gambino crime family/November 5th 1930/Personal/ Genovese Saw the opportunity to murder his powerful enemies while they were caught offguard. 4.Giuseppe Masseria/Boss/Masseria crime family/April 5th 1931/Personal/ Genovese was on the team of hitmen that murdered Masseria to end the Castellamarese war. 5.Salvatore Maranzano/Boss/Maranzano crime family/September 10th 1931/Ordered It with Charles Luciano/ Genovese planned this murder with Charles Luciano, Maranzano was murdered because he was too powerful and unpopular, he was exactly like masseria. 6.Gerard Vernotico/associate/unknown/March 16th 1932/Ordered It/ Genovese had Vernotico murdered so that he could marry Vernotico's wife Anna. 7.Ferdinand Boccia/soldier/Lucchese crime family/September 19th 1934/Personal/ Genovese murdered Boccia instead of paying him his share of $150,000 robbed from a card game. 8.Carlo Tresca/none/Publisher of IlMartello newspaper/January 11th 1943/Ordered It/ Genovese had Tresca murdered as a favour to the facist Italian government. 9.Jerry Esposito/none/independent/June 10th 1946/Ordered It/ Genovese had Esposito murdered so that he couldn't testify against Genovese in court. 10.Willie Moretti/Underboss/Genovese crime family/October 4th 1951/Ordered It/ Moretti was murdered because he had syphillis and was discussing mafia business in public. 11.Steven Franse/Soldier/Genovese crime family/1953/Ordered It/ Franse was helping Genovese's wife Anna in her divorce from Genovese, so he had Franse murdered in revenge. 12.Albert Anastasia/Boss/Gambino crime family/October 25th 1957/Ordered It with Carlo Gambino/ Genovese had Anastasia murdered to remove a powerful enemy and to help Carlo Gambino become Boss of the Gambino crime family. 13.Anthony Carfano/Capo/Genovese crime family/September 25th 1959/Ordered It/ Genovese had Carfano murdered because he thought Carfano was responsible for him getting jailed. 14.Janice Drake/none/independent/September 25th 1959/collateral damage to previous murder/ Drake was murdered because she was a witness to Carfano's murder as she was travelling with him at the time. 15.Anthony Strollo/Capo/Genovese crime family/April 8th 1962/Ordered It/ Genovese had Strollo murdered because he thought Strollo was responsible for him getting jailed. 16.Ernest Rupollo/Soldier/Genovese crime family/August 24th 1964/Ordered It/ Rupollo was murdered because he was an informant, instead of murdering him straight away Genovese let Rupollo live in fear for 20 years before having him murdered. In popular culture Genovese is portrayed in the 2001 TV movie Boss of Bosses by Steven Bauer. Genovese is portrayed in the 1972 film The Valachi Papers by Lino Ventura. Vito Genovese features in the sixth episode of UK history TV channel Yesterday's documentary series Mafia's Greatest Hits A character called Giovanni Ancelotti on GTA IV is based on Genovese as they both ran Black Markets in Naples during World War II. Category:Bosses Category:Genovese Crime Family Category:Genovese Bosses Category:Genovese Underbosses Category:Genovese Capos